Stop Using Tarot to Avoid Making Decisions

Let’s be real about tarot for a moment. There’s a big difference between taking a moment to reflect and just dodging what’s going on. Tarot can be an awesome way to dig into your thoughts and feelings, thanks to its cool symbolism and insights.

But it seems like a lot of people these days aren’t using tarot for that kind of deep self-reflection. Instead, they’re leaning on it to avoid dealing with their real emotions and situations.

Yep! You know how this goes. You keep reaching for the cards over and over, pulled into the same story, rewording your questions in different ways, all while hoping the answers will change. You find yourself pausing to look for “confirmation” before moving forward.

But as time goes on, what started as a source of real insight turns into just a way of wanting permission. It’s a realization many people are hesitant to face.

This is where things start to feel a bit unsettling. Tarot has a unique way of uncovering the deeper patterns in your life. It can really help you see the hidden areas you often overlook, providing clarity on the emotional vibes running through your experiences.

But keep in mind that tarot can’t make choices for you. The moment you start giving up your decision-making power to the cards, that’s when things can get unhealthy. It’s not that tarot itself is dangerous — it’s more about the tendency to avoid facing what you need to deal with that can be risky.

A lot of people think their main problem is that they just don’t have a clear direction in life. But the truth is usually a bit different. More often than not, they have a pretty good grasp of what’s going on. They know that:

• Their relationship is done, and trying to fix it feels pointless.

• The place they’re in is toxic and dragging them down.

• The opportunity in front of them, whether it’s work or something personal, doesn’t align with what they really want or believe in.

• The people they’re dealing with are just too draining, leaving them feeling wiped out.

• Facing the reality of their situation feels too uncomfortable or inconvenient to deal with.

Instead of taking real action based on this understanding, many end up endlessly looking for answers from tarot cards or other forms of divination. The uncertainty about their options seems less scary than actually facing the possible fallout from their choices.

It’s a topic that doesn’t get enough attention. A lot of people think that practicing spirituality is always good for their well-being. But that’s not necessarily true. The truth is, any activity, even spiritual rituals, can become a compulsive habit if it helps you escape your inner struggles. Take tarot, for instance; it can easily become:

• An endless search for reassurance

• A way to rely emotionally on something

• A method to dodge tough truths while pretending to self-reflect

• An obsession with overthinking things instead of just making a decision

This situation is especially common for those who feel stuck because they’re scared of making the wrong choice.

This is the real issue we’re dealing with. A lot of people want solid guarantees before they make a move in life. What they’re really looking for is:

• A bit of certainty to calm their nerves before diving into the unknown,

• Clear answers to ease their anxiety before facing the tough changes ahead, and

• Some reassurance to help them feel stable before taking on new challenges.

But the truth is, life is messy and unpredictable, and it doesn’t always play by our rules. Tarot cards can offer some insight, but they don’t take away the uncertainty we all face.

Instead, they help us recognize the truths and possibilities that are already part of our lives. At the end of the day, it’s still up to you to tackle the unknown and work through the complexities of life.

It’s not just about the deck of cards, but more about how fear can take hold of the whole reading. Once fear sets in, everything changes. People start to twist the cards to get the outcome they want:

• They keep pulling at the cards, hoping to find a comforting answer that matches what they’re wishing for.

• They ignore the cards that make them uncomfortable, not wanting to deal with the truths those cards might show them.

• They turn warnings into something easier to digest, calling them “growth opportunities” to make the discomfort seem like a good thing.

• They might even visit different readers, trying to find one who’ll tell them what they want to hear, latching onto any bit of hope for reassurance.

At this point, the cards aren’t being read honestly anymore. They become something people try to negotiate with, shaped by anxiety and desire instead of providing real insights.

People who have been stuck in survival mode for a long time often freeze from the fear of making the wrong choice.

Even the smallest mistake can feel like a total disaster to them.

Because of this, they tend to:

• Analyze every possible outcome way too much,

• Overprepare for things that might never happen,

• Get caught up in a cycle of overthinking,

• Seek advice from others more than necessary.

This isn’t about being irrational; it’s really about trying to grab onto some control in a world that feels unpredictable. When faced with uncertainty, holding on to that feeling of control can be pretty comforting.

I dive into this fascinating dynamic in my upcoming book, Survival Isn’t a Victory. It looks at how being in survival mode for too long can make people cling to safety so tightly that they start to second-guess their instincts, leaving them feeling stuck.

Interestingly, tarot can help shed light on these deep-seated thought patterns and behaviors. But it’s important to remember that while tarot can highlight these issues, it won’t magically set you free from them on its own.

Not certainty, or something to lean on. Also, it is not a replacement for your own instincts. Tarot acts like a mirror, showing you the deeper parts of your inner world. It reflects:

• The insights you’ve started to feel,

• The truths you’re dodging,

• The patterns that just keep repeating in your life,

• And the feelings or situations you’re not quite ready to face.

But eventually, there comes a point when the cards go quiet. In that stillness, your life hits pause, waiting for you to make the next move.

These days, it feels like a lot of people aren’t really looking for deep insights or life-changing truths anymore. Instead, they just want a break from their responsibilities. But no amount of advice or reassurance can make the challenges of being human disappear.

At some point, we all have to face the fact that we need to make choices. These choices often pop up when we’re feeling uncertain, and they become even more important when we don’t have clear answers or a sense of direction.

If you’re interested in exploring these thought-provoking topics that go beyond tarot—like fear, avoiding reality, survival instincts, figuring out our identities, and the psychology behind today’s spiritual practices—I invite you to check out my podcast, The Grey Area Unfiltered. New episodes drop every Tuesday at 12 PM ET, where we dive into all these themes with an open mind and honest conversations.

While the cards can give us some guidance, in the end, it’s up to us to take those steps and walk our own journeys.